Bewitcher - Under the Witching Cross

A mysterious ritual in the dead of night, horrid beasts lurking in the shadows, sinful galivants with the Prince of Darkness himself; these are just some of the images painted by BEWITCHER, a Blackened Speed Metal band that has taken the word 'Hedonist' to levels previously unfathomed. Still fairly recent additions to the Speed Metal family, BEWITCHER has been leaving permanent indents on venue floors from playing violent circle pit anthems since 2013 in their hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Legend tells when they formed, they wished to create an unsanctioned marriage between VENOM and MOTORHEAD for their sound. BEWITCHER was dying to get back to the ancient Heavy Metal days of yore (the 1980s), back when Heavy Metal had even more of a badass reputation, while taking the idea of being into the occult seriously. Matt Litton's lyrics, rich with Pagan and Wiccan imagery, shows that BEWITCHER have always taken serious pride in the occult image they've unpretentiously cultivated. Under the Witching Cross is their highly anticipated sophomore album.

Expanding on their self-titled debut, "Under the Witching Cross" is still the raging, satanic fever dream that fans fell in love with back when BEWITCHER's first demo tapes of Satanic Panic sold out and left fans screaming for more. The same addicting chorus riffs, magical lyrics, and low, thrumming bass, BEWITCHER hasn't fixed anything that wasn't broken. Singles "Too Fast for the Flames" and "Hexenkrieg" are white hot and burning from the friction of Andrew Mercil's strings against the fretboard. Pagan gods are celebrated in "Heathen Women" and "In the Sign of the Goat", as well as roman emperors in "Rome Is Burning".

BEWITCHER make themselves known as a force to be reckoned, creating landscapes of caustic frets and heavy bass with a heavy pinch of sleaze thrown in. Under the Witching Cross is out now. Blessed Be!

Songwriting: 10
Originality: 7
Memorability: 8
Production: 10